A BITTER planning battle that has raged for more than seven years has ended in victory for Cranleigh businessman Brian Tetley.

However, while delighted with the decision of a planning inspector to rule against Waverley Borough Council, he was in no mood to crack open the champagne in celebration.

The planners had tried “to put me out of business”, said Mr Tetley.

Pointing out that the only objections to what he was doing came from the planners, he said: “We have paid a terrible price just to earn a living.”

The final chapter in the saga was a public inquiry held in January into appeals by Mr Tetley against Waverley’s refusal of alternative proposals for the retention of a large agricultural building for storage at Norley Farm in Horsham Road, south of the village.

The first was to keep the building and adjoining hardstanding for storage purposes following the demolition of another building and reduction in a transport business.

The second was to keep the building and hardstanding, but demolish two other buildings and cease the use of part of the site for the transport business.

Mr Tetley, who received widespread support from Cranleigh Parish Council, his neighbours and other people in the area, favoured the first application, but the planning inspector ruled against him in that case.

However, the inspector upheld his appeal in respect of the alternative proposal.

“The sad thing about it all is what we have achieved at the end of seven years is exactly what we asked the council for in the first place,” Mr Tetley told the Surrey Advertiser this week.

“But their response was to slap on enforcement orders and we have had to chip away at it bit by bit.”

In his findings the inspector, J.O. Head, commented: “Both proposals would represent small-scale expansion of commercial activity and would be beneficial in helping to diversify the rural economy.”

However, he explained that he favoured the second proposal because it involved the removal of both “dilapidated” timber poultry sheds, a move that would, he said, improve the appearance of the site.

The first proposal would, said Mr Head, conflict with the aims of planning policies aimed at protecting the countryside, while the overall impact of the alternative scheme would not be harmful.

And he said that provided a hedge near the entrance to the site was realigned, the proposal would result in no unacceptable harm to road safety.

Mr Tetley said the inspector’s decision means the main part of his business has been saved.

Although the requirement to demolish both poultry sheds instead of just one will mean some small businesses having to find other accommodation.

“It’s a bit of a compromise, but it is a success from our point of view because the main building has been a target right from day one,” added Mr Tetley.

John Savage, one of Cranleigh’s parish and borough councillors who had backed Mr Tetley’s case throughout, said he was pleased by the appeal decision.

He added: “He has been very badly treated – this is a victory for common sense.”